Exercising stool



W. G. HORSTMAN EXERCISING STOOI..

Jan. 10, 1950 v Filed June 19, 194ev Patented Jan. 10, 1950 EXERCISING s'rooL Walter G. Horstman, Des Moines, Iowa.

Application June r9, 1946,l serial No. 677,739 Y (c1. 2v2-.ssnY

2 claims. l

'This .invention relates generally to health aiding devices and in particular to an exercising device for stimulating the flow of digestive acids .in the intestinal tract to aid a proper food digestion.

Gastric acidity oftentimes occurs because of an. accumulation of digestive acids in what may be termed pockets in the intestinal tract.

Through the exercising of the abdominal muscles' the flow of the digestive acids through `the intestinal tracts is appreciably increased so as tov reduce or, in some cases, to completely eliminate such. accumulation.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide an improved exercising device for stirrinlating the now of digestive acids through the intestinal tract.

Another object of this invention is to provide an exercising device for aiding the natural digestion of food, by reducing the accumulation of digestive acids in parts of the intestinal tract. 'Yet`V another object of this invention is to provide an exercising vdevice which -is adapted to bevused as a piece of home furniture, when noty utilized for exercising purposes.

A feature of this invention is found in the provision of an exercising device in which meansv are Vprovided for connecting an upright coil spring between a body supporting member and a base member, such that the supporting member is capable of being moved upwardly, downwardly and laterally, relative to the base member, without. the device being upset, and with the axis of the spring always being returnable to a normal position in a substantially vertical plane.

Further objects, features and .advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig.. l is a side elevation of the exercising deviceof :this invention illustrating the manner of itsuse:

Fig. 2 is a foreshortened enlarged sectional view as seen on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. ,3' is a ,fragmentary perspective view of the body supporting member;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the base member; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a clamp member forming part of the means for connecting an upright coil spring between the body supporting and base members.

With reference to the drawings the exercising device of this invention is illustrated in Figs. 1

and 2 as 'including a base member i0, a body'- supporting member I and a coil spring A'I2'.

The baseV I0 (Figs. 2 and '4) is of a hollow construction and integrally formed from a single piece ofY material with a hat substantially reetangular shaped top member I 3 having each side thereofv formed with an outwardly and down-` wardly 'extended' iiangeY or leg yI 4. The v lower endj of each `leg v-I4 is bent inwardly to form a foot I6. As best appears in Fig. 4 the adjacent endsl I1 of the anges I4 are spaced apart from each other, to form open corners for the vbase HJ, while the adjacent ends I8 of the foot members I6 are' welded together lin a mitre joint. It is seen, therefore, that the legs 'I6 are continuous about the lower `peripheral side of the base I0.

Arranged substantially centrally within theA flat top member I3 is an annular depression 1119:

(Figs. 2 and 4) of a size and shape adaptedjto receive the lower side of the bottom endcoilv As best appears in Fig. 2'?

2| ofthe spring I2.

the end coil 2`I is arranged in a transverse jilaneV substantially normal to the axis 22 of the springy The end coil 2I is clamped within the annu-` lar depression I9 by means including a disc shape:

clamp member 23 (Figs. 2 and 5), having a downwardly and outwardly curved peripheral r'im 24 adapted to nt over. the top side of the endj Closely adjacent to the curved rim 24" coil 2|. and extended through the member 23 is an angu-V larly extended' slot 26. through which the spring` |12 is insertable, whereby the clamp member '23 is capable of being moved axially .of the springv l2, while in a position concentric with the spring'4 axis.

The clamp .member 23 is arrangedopposite the. annular depression I9, in the base .member 1D., with the curved rim 2.4 in a cooperating relation withthe depression I9 so as to substantially completely enclose the end coil 2|. A bolt 2], extended lthrough countersunk openings. 2liv and 23 provided in the clamp .member 23 and base l0, re#v spectively, clamps the member 23 against the flat top member I 3. The holes 28 and 29 are .countersunk in reverse directions, so that the inner. adr. jacent ends of the .countersunk portions 3l and 32 in the clamp member 23 and flat top member I3, respectively, are in substantial abutting engagement when the clamp member rim 24 and the annular depression I9 are in a mating relation. The head of the bolt 21 is received within the countersunk portion 3|, while a nut 33 therefor is received within the countersunk portion 32 in the base I0.

It is seen, therefore, that the end coil 2l is rmly secured against movement relative to the base member I substantially in the plane of the ilat top member I3, whereby the spring I2 is supported in an upright position with its axis 22 in a substantially vertical plane.

The body supporting member II is of a hollow construction and integrally formed with a nat substantially rectangularly shaped top member 36 having a downwardly and outwardly extended straight flange 31 which terminates Vin 'an inwardly bent rim 38 (Figs. 2 and 4) Located centrally of the flat top member 36 is an annular rib E Stool in a bedroom, or as a foot rest.

39 for receiving the upper side of the top end coil I 4I of the spring I2.

A clamp member 23, similar in all respects to the clamp member 23 described in connection with the bottom end coil 2I, has its peripheral rim 24 adapted to receive the bottom sideof the top coil 4I. The top coil 4I is positioned with its topY side within the rib 39 and the top clamp is secured against the bottom side of the flat top member 36 byaclamping bolt2'l extended through the countersunk hole 28 in the clamp member 23,

andacountersunk hole 42 in the flat member V36. aThe top coil 4I is also Varranged in atransverse plane substantially normal to the spring axis 22 whereby the body supporting member iI, in its clamped assembly with the spring I2, has the top ilat member 36 thereof in a substantially horizgontal plane. It is seen, therefore, that the clamp members 23 are of a like construction and sim-V ilarly assembled with the base member I0 and body supporting member II to connect the end coils 2I and 4I, respectively, with such members.

In the use of the exercising device of this invention, and as is illustrated in Fig. 1, a person merely lays himself across the devicewith his abdominal portion 44 resting on the body supporting member I I and withA both his feet 45 and hands 41 in engagement with the` floor surface. By .manipulation of his body, and applying a downward pressure on the exercising device, the spring I2 is compressed and permitted to expand concurrently with a lateral or sidewise movement in any direction of the body supporting memher II.

This action massages and exercises the abdominal muscles and effects a reaction in the digestive system to aid the ow of digestive acids through the intestinal tract. By virtue of the substantial full bearing engagement of the bottom coil 2l with the clamp 23 and the base I0, and the clamping of such coil in a xed position relative to the base, the exercising device is maintained stable against being upset, at any moved position of the spring I2. Also, because of the rigid securement of the end coil 2l in substantially the planeof the at top member I3, and the initial arrangement of the end coil 2I in a plane substantially normal to the spring axis 22, the spring I2 is returnable to an upright position with its axis 22 in a substantially vertical plane when the weight of a person is removed from the body supporting member II.

`fIn order to eliminate any objectionable clicking noises when the spring I2 is compressed, by virtue of Athe coil 48 next adjacent to the bottom coil 2| coming into contact with the top side of the clamp member 23, the connecting member 49 between the spring coils 2| and 48 (Figs. 1 and 2) is arranged in an upright position at any angle of substantially forty-five degrees relative to the plane of the end coil 2|. As a result suiicient space is provided between the coil 48 and the clamp member 23, at all moved positions of the spring I2, to eliminate any contact engagement between such parts.

When the device is not in use it may be provided with a suitable covering material and used as a Y be understood that it is not to be so limited since changes and modications can be made therein which are within the full intended scope of this invention as dened by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An exercising device comprising a base member, a body supporting member, an upright coil spring connected between said two members having an end coil arranged in a plane substantially normal to the axis of said spring, means fory connecting said end coil with one of said two members including a clamp member having arr annular curved portion adapted to receive one side of said end coil therein, with said one-member having an annularly depressed portion adapted to receive the other side of said end coil, with said clamp member being positionable oppo-` site said depressed portion to substantially close said end coil therebetween, and means for clamping said end coil between said depressed portion and said clamp member.

2. An exercising device comprising a base member, a body supporting member, an upright coil spring connected between said two members hav-l ing the lower end coil thereof arranged in a plane substantially normal to the axis of said spring, said base member having an annular depressed portion therein adapted to receive one side Aof said end coil, a clamp member having an annularY curved portion adapted to receive the other side' I The following Vreferences are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 326,721 Crandall Sept. 28, 1885 2,106,994 Chapman Feb. 1, 1938, FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Datev Great Britain Nov. 15,1884 

